The Incorruptible, Corrupted {l'incorruptible, Corrompu}

~Chapitre Quatre~

Other than the pain I'm in, the waiting is the worst part of this experience, Maximilien thought to himself. He'd been sitting alone in the dark for what seemed like days, with only his shattered jaw and broken memories as companions. Although, he told himself, that's better than being with others in the sun on my way to the guillotine.

Days ago he never would have imagined this. At the time he was on top of the world, leading the people of France to victory against their oppressors and assisting the Committee of Public Safety with their work. Now the people of France had him locked away, awaiting the same death so many of them once had.

They will be cheering, Maximilien predicted, holding his broken head in his hands. It'll be the same as when the king was executed. They'll cheer and smile and wave their tricolored flags in every direction. Some little child will ask what's going on and his parents will tell him that it's the end of a dictatorship. He'll have no idea what's really happening, but he'll smile and nod and run through the legs of the crowd with his little friends, trying to get a glimpse of what's going on. He'll play with the other children and cover his ears at the sound of a head falling into the basket, but still will cheer with the others because his parents are so why shouldn't he!

Saint-Just and I will be last. I'm sure of it. The 'evil' leaders being forced to see what exactly they'd caused. Agustin will obviously be near the front. They'll want to make me watch him die of course. It will be the same way they had to watch their brothers, sisters, parents, and children die, but for a less noble cause. As much as it pains me, I almost wish he had died, leaping out of that window.

The thought of Augustin made him shudder. It was almost impossible to think of his brother without remembering the horrific events from the previous night. Stupid Augustin, Maximilien thought. He'd never known when he'd said too much, drank too much wine, or had joked about something too serious. He always went to an extreme. Yesterday it just happened to be jumping out of a window.

"They have the building surrounded, Citoyen Robespierre," Saint-Just had said, entering the tension filled room. Maximilien looked up from where he sat, lost in frightening thoughts. "There is almost no chance of escape. They could begin breaking in at any moment." For the first time in many years, Maximilien had felt true fear. Trying to maintain his reputation in front of the few that still supported him, he took a deep breath and attempted to remain calm.

"Are you sure," he had asked, a note of panic evident in his voice despite his efforts to remain calm. Saint-Just had nodded. Of course, he was sure, Maximilien had thought. He's just looked out the window. Unsurprisingly my nerves are getting a hold of me. "Then we need to be ready just in case they make their way up to us." He'd picked his pistol up from the top of his desk and loaded it.

"They've broken in," one of the armed men had shouted as he threw the door open. "We can only hold them off for so long." Gunshots and loud screams had rung out from the lower floors inciting panic in the men above.

"We're going to die," one of the younger men had moaned from the corner. "They're going to kill us all!" Maximilien had wanted to say something reassuring; to tell them that everything would be fine, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. There was nothing he could do to save the situation.

The gunshots and sounds of fighting were right outside the door when Maximilien felt his knees give out. His heart raced more than it ever had. Faster, faster, faster. Every beat possibly his last.

"I don't know about the rest of you," Augustin had said, looking around at the others. "But-" He had been cut off by a loud crash that had resounded from outside in the hallway. Several of the other men had also drawn their various weapons. Maximilien had swallowed hard and gritted his teeth, picking himself up off the ground. After several minutes of intense fighting outside the door, the armed soldiers had forced their way into the room. Chaos ensued.